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Kira Lerner, Georgia Recorder [This article first appeared in the Georgia Recorder, republished with permission]
September 15, 2022

According to a recent poll, 69% of both Democrats and Republicans believe that American democracy is on the brink of collapse.

Nearly two years after Donald Trump falsely claimed that voter fraud cost him his election, prompting a web of supporters and “big lie” candidates to believe the election was rigged, The majority of Americans worry about democracy, our system of government. Political decisions are determined by the will of the people and are unstable.

But most U.S. news outlets don’t convey that level of concern and do little to provide Americans with actionable information about what can be done to save democracy. newsrooms are grappling with limited resources and staff, making it difficult for the media to dedicate the necessary time and space to an issue as vast as the volatile nature of democracy.

If we don’t pay enough attention to this issue, it could lead to the normalization of outrageous claims from far-right candidates, driving the news cycle forward. Other important issues take over the top story.

But this week, news outlets, including the States Newsroom, will attempt to shed light on the extent of the problem.

On Thursday, organizations such as Montclair State University’s Collaborative Media Center, the nonprofit news lab, and audience and engagement company Harken will explore what it’s like to give democracy its due attention. I would like to show

For International Day of Democracy, About 386 media partners will publish articles highlighting the crisis facing American democracy and sounding the alarm that democracy is on the brink of collapse.

“We tend to take democracy for granted, at least in this country,” said Joe Amditis, deputy director of the Cooperative Media Center, which helps organize Democracy Day. “We say the word so often, we hear it so often that it loses its meaning in many contexts. It’s important to stop and think about what democracy means, what democracy looks like, really understand it, and directly address the reasons why. important to.”

All 29 of the States Newsroom’s outlets will be participating in Democracy Day, with stories on issues ranging from threatening election officials to continuing false statements about the stolen 2020 election.

Colorado Newsline reporters and editors discuss how election officials keep individuals safe and consider new laws raising the bar for distributing election materials in languages ​​other than English. Newsline also delves deeper into Colorado’s enviable voter turnout, examining disparities between different demographics.

A Wisconsin Examiner has reviewed the records of candidates for congressional and statewide offices that served as the basis for false claims that the 2020 election was stolen, and how the state legislature and Supreme Court will legislate in 2022. Reinvestigate whether you created the map. What was implemented 10 years ago.

Minnesota reformers and sources New Mexico fact-check Republican nominees for secretary of state who are denying the 2020 election results.

The Oregon Capital Chronicle is also investigating threats made to county elections offices over alleged election matters, demanding retention of documents and impeding work necessary to administer the next election.

Other media, such as the Georgia Recorder, describe voter registration campaigns targeting Asian American and Pacific Islander communities and voting efforts on both sides of the aisle.

Articles by outlets in the States Newsroom and other participating media outlets inform the public of the scope of the issue and provide readers with actionable information about what they can do.

Amditis said that while Americans often believe our democracy is strong and unassailable, researchers believe that we are actually becoming a democracy in retreat. I am discovering

“It should ring alarm bells in itself, and what better institution to ring those alarm bells and shed light on solutions than the so-called Fourth Estate?” he said. “If we could all work together in his day to publish at least one article exploring these issues, I think that would be a good starting point.”

The Georgia Recorder is part of the States Newsroom, a network of news stations supported by grants and the Donor Coalition as a 501c(3) Public Charity. The Georgia Recorder maintains editorial independence. For any questions, please contact Editor John McCosh: info@georgiarecorder.com. Follow Georgia Recorder on Facebook and twitter.